Journal of Engineering Education Transformations, Volume No 38, January 2025, Special Issue 2, eISSN 2394-1707

Hackathon-Based Learning Approaches for

Mechanical Engineering
1Arun C Dixit, 2Prakasha K N, 3Harshavardhan B, 4Anand A
1,2
Vidyavardhaka College of Engineering, Mysuru
3,4
The National Institute of Engineering, Mysuru
1
arundixitu@vvce.ac.in prakasha@vvce.ac.in 3harshavardhanb@nie.ac.in, 4anand@nie.ac.in
2

Abstract—Hackathons present a practical and collaborative design to make it more efficient. This kind of time constrained
learning exposure to the engineering student in general. They also activity in group will give them the much needed practical
enhance the problem-solving skills amongst the students. In exposure, insights on team dynamics, and improve their
specific, Mechanical engineering was chosen for this study as
technical problem solving skills (Garcia, 2023; Miličević et al.,
hackathons are mostly common in IT and circuit branches and the
students of mechanical do not get to participate in such hackathons 2024; Nolte et al., 2020).
if they are not proficient in coding and other IT skills. We It has been proven that participation in hackathons will
conducted a survey for the students of mechanical engineering to improve the student’s ability to handle their capstone and
identify their interest and need towards the hackathons within
research projects. They inculcate both technical skills like
their domain. The responses from the students were analyzed
using correlation and clustering methods. This analysis gave us coding and designing along with soft skills such as
insights on the preferences of the students. Based on these insights, communication and teamwork (Garcia, 2022). Hackathons if
we have proposed four hackathon models specially for the integrated into the courses, will provide a new path for teaching
mechanical domain: Industry-Based Hackathon, Product and its assessment, helping the students to be job ready
Development Hackathon, Innovation through Reverse (Steglich et al., 2020).
Engineering, and a 1-credit Hackathon Course for Societal
For evaluating the complex learning that happens in
Solutions. We designed each model to address specific challenges
and real-world applications. We implemented the "Innovation hackathon settings, data mining and multimodal analysis are
through Reverse Engineering" at our institution to get an actual being increasingly recognized as valuable tools. For example,
experience of our proposed model and receive feedback from these tools can track how the student team progresses through
participants. The hackathon was well received by the students, and different tasks which provide insights about their learning
they were able to complete the tasks. With rapid changes taking approach. Educators can use and analyze this data to for getting
place in the education and industrial domains, these approaches
a better understanding of the learning path and areas of
will ensure that the academic learning of the students are
associated with industry needs with respect to fostering creativity, improvement needed for them (Dixit, Arun C et al., 2024; Gama
team working and problem-solving skills. These models also et al., 2018; Hogan, 2020).
ensure that students are prepared well for the growing demand of The above tools also convey to the educators how students
their future careers, with the much-needed skills and experiences interact with each other in a team and the pattern in which they
to excel in the rapidly evolving industrial space.
work. Using this data, they can step in and offer help to teams
Keywords— Hackathon-based learning; mechanical that are struggling to ensure that all students are benefited. This
engineering education; innovative pedagogy; hands-on approach guided by data provides a win-win situation making
experience; problem-solving; industry readiness the learning experience better and allows for continuous
improvement of the hackathon format(Afshar et al., 2022;
ICTIEE Track: Technology Enhanced Learning
Kumalakov et al., 2018; Sharma et al., 2023).
ICTIEE Sub-Track: Technology assisted Collaborative
Learning From the above, it is clear that hackathon-based learning is a
promising approach to acquire knowledge in engineering.
I. INTRODUCTION Despite its many benefits, this method has been limited mainly
Hackathon-based learning is a modern educational approach to the IT and the circuit branches. Hackathon based learning in
that is gaining popularity in the engineering education sector. core branches such as Mechanical and Civil engineering is not
In a typical hackathon, the student teams come together to popular due to the perception of coding tag attached to the
discuss and come up with creative solutions to real life or method. Hence, it is necessary to understand the challenges,
industrial problems according to the theme of the event, in a identify the gaps and come out with new methods of hackathon
short span of time. For example, students’ teams may be given tailored to these disciplines. (García-Castanedo et al., 2024;
a time span of 24 hours, within which they may be asked to Rennick et al., 2023).
completely design a new tool, or they can improve an existing

Arun C Dixit
Vidyavardhaka College of Engineering
arundixitu@vvce.ac.in

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II. HACKATHON FOR MECHANICAL ENGINEERING important to rethink how we approach hackathons for
STUDENTS – CHALLENGES AND GAPS mechanical engineers. The goal is to make them practical to
In India, the popularity of mechanical engineering is decreasing organize, easy to fit into the curriculum, and beneficial for all
every year. More students are choosing IT and related fields students. Building upon the insights from the comparison, we
because they believe mechanical engineering is outdated and can develop new ideas that cater specifically to mechanical
has limited job opportunities with the surge of AI and ML engineering. In the next section, we will explore these
domains. This belief is fueled by the greater opportunities for innovative approaches, which aim to address the challenges
collaboration and teamwork found in IT courses, which are effectively and ensure that the integration of mechanical
often lacking in traditional mechanical and civil engineering engineering hackathons into the academic program is both
programs (Dixit et al., 2020; Kelly et al., 2023). smooth and highly valuable for students.
TABLE I
Mechanical engineering students often feel disadvantaged CHARACTERISTICS OF SOFTWARE HACKATHONS VS. MECHANICAL
compared to their IT peers, who regularly participate in ENGINEERING H ACKATHONS
hackathons that enhance their practical skills and prepare them Mechanical Engineering
Characteristic Software Hackathon
for their careers. In contrast, mechanical engineering students Hackathon
Problem More abstract and open- More specific and
mainly focus on theoretical studies and machine drawing, with statements ended technical
little exposure to design thinking and product development. Programming, software
Engineering design, CAD,
This lack of practical experience becomes a significant hurdle Required skills design, and user
and manufacturing
experience
when they reach their final year and need to work on complex Fewer resources available,
projects, leaving them unsure of how to start or proceed(Medina Knowledge Wide range of resources such as access to
Angarita & Nolte, 2020; Panth & Maclean, 2020). Resources available specialized equipment or
materials
To address the above challenges, this study proposes May last for a longer
Time Typically lasts for 24-48
incorporating hackathon-based learning into mechanical period, such as 72 hours
constraints hours
engineering education. By integrating hackathons into the or even a week
May require a higher level
curriculum, we aim to make mechanical engineering education of teamwork, as projects
Teamwork Requires teamwork
more dynamic and connected to industry needs. often involve multiple
disciplines
The absence of hackathons in mechanical engineering can be May also be evaluated on
credited to several factors. Firstly, the traditional hackathon Based on the creativity
the technical feasibility
Evaluation and innovation of the
format often does not align well with the core competencies of and robustness of the
solutions
mechanical engineering. Additionally, hackathons are usually solutions
Participants may also
focused on domains like software development, where they are need access to specialized
more commonly utilized. There's also a lack of awareness or Participants typically need
equipment and materials,
Infrastructure to have their own laptops
acceptance of hackathons as an effective educational tool such as 3D printers, laser
and programming skills
within mainstream engineering education. However, cutters, and machining
tools
incorporating hackathons into the mechanical engineering
curriculum holds significant potential for skill development and
fostering industry collaboration. It is essential for educators and IV. NEED ANALYSIS FOR HACKATHON
industry professionals to engage in further research and In order to formulate effective strategies for the implementation
dialogue to understand how best to implement hackathons in of hackathons in the domain of mechanical engineering
mechanical engineering education to maximize their benefits. education, it is necessary to conduct a thorough need analysis.
The purpose of this need analysis is to gain insights into
III. DIFFERENCES AND CHALLENGES BETWEEN students' perspectives, expectations, and requirements
SOFTWARE AND MECHANICAL ENGG HACKATHONS regarding hackathons. By understanding the specific needs and
The idea of hackathons originated in the software aspirations of mechanical engineering students, we can adapt
our hackathon approaches to align with their educational and
engineering domain. Since then, they have gained immense
career goals.
popularity over time. These events involved bringing together
programmers, coders, and tech enthusiasts to collaboratively A comprehensive survey was conducted among sixth-semester
develop innovative software solutions within a limited time mechanical engineering students in South Karnataka to gauge
duration (Dixit et al., 2019; Happonen et al., 2022). their familiarity with hackathons and their perspectives on
Organizing hackathons specific to mechanical engineering integrating such events into their curriculum. The survey
students presents a distinctive set of challenges compared to explored various aspects, including students' awareness of
hackathons, their views on hackathons as effective problem-
their counterparts in software engineering. Table I provides the
solving tools, and their interest in participating in these events.
comparison between software hackathons and mechanical
Furthermore, students were questioned about their
engineering hackathons with respect to various characteristic understanding of current industry challenges and their readiness
features observed in a typical hackathon (Flus & Hurst, 2021). to engage with industry professionals. Responses were
Given the differences highlighted in the comparison and the collected from 310 students (students responded) across
challenges posed by mechanical engineering hackathons, it's different colleges through a Google Forms questionnaire. The

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questionnaire circulated to students is shown in Table II. into the variability of the responses. For instance, the "Agree"
Participants were asked to rate their responses on a 5-point category shows a higher average response (84.5) with
Likert scale: Strongly Agree, Agree, Neutral, Disagree, significant variability (std dev 18.88), suggesting diverse
Strongly Disagree. opinions among students. In contrast, the "Strongly Disagree"
TABLE II category has the lowest average (39.4) and the least variability
QUESTIONNAIRE CIRCULATED TO THE STUDENTS
(std dev 7.18), indicating a more consistent response pattern.
Q.No Question
These insights are crucial for understanding the overall
I feel I receive enough exposure to problem- sentiment of the students towards hackathons and their
Q1 solving through hackathons, similar to my peers integration into the curriculum. The unevenness in responses
in software and circuit branches. highlights areas where students have strong, divergent opinions,
I regularly engage in problem-solving activities necessitating targeted strategies to address their concerns and
Q2
outside of my regular coursework. expectations.
I have participated in hackathon-style events
Q3 related to mechanical engineering during my Correlation Analysis of Survey Responses: To understand the
academic journey. relationships between different response categories, a
I believe that hackathons can enhance problem- correlation analysis was performed. The correlation matrix in
Q4 Figure 1 illustrates the strength and direction of these
solving skills in mechanical engineering.
I am interested in participating in a hackathon relationships.
Q5
focused on mechanical engineering challenges. The correlation coefficients range from -1 to +1, where values
I prefer hackathons to be integrated into the close to +1 indicate a strong positive relationship, values close
Q6 regular curriculum rather than offered as to -1 indicate a strong negative relationship, and values around
extracurricular activities. 0 indicate no relationship.
I believe hackathons can help bridge the gap The key insights from the analysis are as follows:
Q7 between academia and industry in mechanical
engineering.  Strong Positive Correlation Between "Strongly Agree" and
I am aware of the current challenges and "Agree": The strong positive correlation (0.92) between
Q8 problems faced by industries in mechanical "Strongly Agree" and "Agree" responses suggests that
engineering and my role after graduation. questions with higher "Strongly Agree" responses also tend to
I would be interested in participating in have higher "Agree" responses. This indicates a consistent
Q9 hackathons that focus on solving real-world pattern of agreement among students who strongly support
industry problems in mechanical engineering. certain statements.
I think integrating hackathons into mechanical  Negative Correlations Between Positive and Negative
Q10 engineering education will improve my readiness
Responses: The strong negative correlations between
for the professional world.
"Strongly Agree" and "Disagree" (-0.85) and "Strongly
Survey questionnaires and responses: The survey Disagree" (-0.76) responses, as well as between "Agree" and
questionnaires deployed to gather valuable insights from "Disagree" (-0.87) and "Strongly Disagree" (-0.84) responses,
mechanical engineering students and the responses obtained suggest that students who agree with a statement are unlikely
from the survey are shown in Table III. to disagree with it. This highlights a clear division in student
TABLE III opinions, with strong and moderate agreements opposing
RESPONSES RECEIVED TO THE QUESTIONNAIRE
disagreements.
Q. Strongly Strongly
Agree Neutral Disagree  Positive Correlation Among Negative Responses: The
No Agree Disagree
Q1 23 48 91 102 46 positive correlation (0.64) between "Disagree" and "Strongly
Q2 45 78 93 56 38 Disagree" responses indicates that questions with higher
Q3 35 72 104 54 45 disagreement tend to see both forms of disagreement. This
Q4 51 99 80 45 35 suggests that students who disagree with a statement tend to
Q5 40 83 85 61 41 have a consistent level of disagreement.
Q6 60 103 71 46 30  Moderate Positive Correlation Between "Neutral" and
Q7 47 102 72 55 34 Negative Responses: The moderate positive correlations
Q8 36 64 85 71 54 between "Neutral" responses and both "Disagree" (0.38) and
Q9 58 102 65 48 37 "Strongly Disagree" (0.55) responses suggest that students
Q10 45 94 84 53 34 who are neutral may have a slight tendency towards
Descriptive statistics analysis: To gain a comprehensive disagreement. This indicates that neutral responses might lean
understanding of the distribution of responses, we conducted a towards a lack of strong agreement.
descriptive statistical analysis. Table IV summarizes the key
metrics for each response category across all survey questions. These insights provide a deeper understanding of student
perspectives and how they relate across different response
The mean values indicate the average number of responses in
categories. By identifying these relationships, we can better
each category, while the standard deviation provides insight

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interpret the overall sentiment and design targeted strategies for  Cluster 0 (Blue): This cluster includes the students who
integrating hackathons into the curriculum. have mix of agreement and disagreement with the survey
TABLE IV questions. By specifically addressing the areas where their
DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS OF SURVEY RESPONSES

Response Category Count Mean Std Dev Min 25% Median 75% Max

Strongly agree 44 11.13 23 37 45 50 60

Agree 84.5 18.88 48 73.5 88.5 101.25 103
Neutral 10 83 11.6 65 74 84.5 89.5 104
Disagree 59.1 16.89 45 49.25 54.5 59.75 102
Strongly Disagree 39.4 7.18 30 34.25 37.5 44 54

Fig. 1. Correlation Matrix of Survey Responses

Clustering Analysis of Survey Responses: To identify distinct

groups of students based on their survey responses, a K-means views differ, approaches can be developed to better engage
clustering analysis was performed. The clustering results are them thus improving their learning experience.
visualized in Figure 2, with the first two principal components  Cluster 1 (Red): Students in this cluster have extreme
(PCA) representing the data in a reduced dimensional space. opinions. They have either strongly agreed or strongly
PCA is used to reduce the dimensionality of the data while disagreed with the survey statements. Developing the
retaining most of the variance, making the clusters more approaches to align with their preferences can increase their
visually interpretable. satisfaction.
The X-axis and Y-axis represent the first two principal
components from PCA:  Cluster 2 (Green): This cluster has students who have given
 PCA Component 1: Captures the maximum variance in the more neutral responses. More comprehensive approaches
data, summarizing the most important features that can be developed to suit their needs.
differentiate the responses. The above clustering analysis revealed the different student
 PCA Component 2: Captures the second highest variance, groups based on their responses to the questionnaire. With the
providing additional dimensions to distinguish between above grouping, we can have specific approaches to each
group of students ensuring their preferences are met
the clusters.
effectively.
The significance of the different clusters that were identified are
as follows:

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V. INNOVATIVE HACKATHON MODELS FOR Innovation Universally adaptable,

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING DOMAIN All through enabling students to analyse
Our comprehensive survey of mechanical engineering Clusters Reverse and improve existing products
students revealed distinct clusters, each with specific needs and Engineering hands-on.
preferences for practical, industry-aligned learning experiences

Cluster 2

Cluster 1

Cluster 0

Fig. 2. k-means clustering of Survey Responses

TABLE V
MAPPING OF CLUSTERS TO THE HACKATHON APPROACHES Based on these insights, we propose four innovative hackathon
Mapped models tailored to these clusters. Table V shows the mapping
Cluster Hackathon Justification of the clusters to these approaches and Table VI summarizes
Approach these four approaches, describing their objectives, steps, and the
benefits they offer.
Allows students to explore
Product These innovative hackathon models provide structured,
Cluster 0 various aspects of mechanical
Development practical, and industry-aligned learning experiences tailored to
(Blue) engineering, catering to diverse
Hackathon the specific needs and preferences of the identified student
interests.
clusters. They aim to equip mechanical engineering students
Industry- Engages students with strong
Cluster 1 with the skills and knowledge required to meet contemporary
Based preferences by aligning with
(Red) engineering challenges effectively.
Hackathon real-world industry challenges.
Of the four approaches suggested, we implemented one activity
1-Credit
Provides a flexible platform to at our institute. The details, implementation, outcomes, and
Hackathon
Cluster 2 explore societal challenges, analysis of the "Innovation through Reverse Engineering"
Course for
(Green) suited for students with neutral approach are detailed in the next section. The above approach
Societal
views. was considered because it provides hands-on learning
Solutions
opportunities, encourages critical analysis of existing designs,
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and enhances technical documentation skills, making it highly

relevant for addressing the specific needs identified in our
survey.

TABLE VI
NEW APPROACHES FOR MECHANICAL ENGINEERING HACKATHONS
Sl.
Approach Objective Steps Benefits & Impact
No
1. Organize industry tours for students to identify real-
world problems.
2. Develop problem statements based on observations
1. Provides real-world exposure and
during the tours.
Bridge the gap collaboration with industry.
3. Facilitate brainstorming sessions for solution
between theoretical 2. Ensures hands-on experience
Industry-Based development.
1 knowledge and through practical implementation.
Hackathon 4. Engage with industry professionals to present and refine
practical industry 3. Continuous feedback from
applications. solutions.
industry professionals.
5. Incorporate feedback from professionals to refine
solutions iteratively.
6. Implement selected solutions with industry support.
7. Provide ongoing mentorship from industry experts.
1. Introduce the product development process.
2. Form groups and select product categories.
3. Conduct market surveys to generate ideas. 1. Customizable challenges for
4. Develop and select the best concepts. varying experience levels
Product Foster innovation 5. Create detailed designs considering manufacturing 2. Structured expert feedback
2 Development and product constraints. enhances design quality.
Hackathon development skills. 6. Develop 3D models using CAD software. 3. Emphasizes both innovative
7. Present designs to an expert panel for evaluation. thinking and practical skills.
8. Refine designs based on expert feedback.
9. Develop physical prototypes.
10. Conduct a final evaluation by a jury.
1. Disassemble consumer products to study and document
components.
1. Promotes understanding and
2. Analyse technical aspects, strengths, and weaknesses of
Understand and critical analysis of existing
the disassembled products.
Innovation improve existing designs.
3. Brainstorm and develop improved versions of the
3 through Reverse products 2. Enhances technical
original designs.
Engineering through reverse documentation and creativity.
engineering. 4. Create enhanced 3D models incorporating innovative
3. Suitable for varying skill levels,
improvements.
providing guided exploration
5. Present the improved designs to experts for appraisal
and feedback.
1. Form interdisciplinary teams to tackle societal
challenges.
2. Identify pertinent technical challenges with significant
societal impact. 1. Integrates hackathons into the
curriculum for widespread
3. Develop detailed blueprints and innovative solutions.
Hackathon as a Develop solutions participation.
4. Refine solutions with guidance from experienced
1-credit for societal mentors. 2. Emphasizes sustainability and
4 Course for challenges long-term societal impact.
5. Create functional prototypes and develop
Societal through technical 3. Provides mentorship and
Solutions innovation. implementation strategies.
6. Present solutions in a public forum for evaluation. practical implementation
strategies.
7. Assess the potential impact, feasibility, and
sustainability of the solutions.
8. Reflect on the learning experience and broader
implications.

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VI. IMPLEMENTATION OF INNOVATION THROUGH implementation potential. Evaluation criteria and scores
REVERSE ENGINEERING APPROACH are presented in Table VII.
To bridge the gap between classroom knowledge and real- TABLE VII
world applications, we implemented the "Innovation through EVALUATION CRITERION AND TEAM SCORE CARDS
Reverse Engineering" approach at our institute in South Evaluation Criterion T1 T2 T3 T4 T5
Karnataka. This event aimed to enhance creative thinking and Clarity of Presentation (15
practical skills among mechanical engineering students, points):
11 10 13 13 11
providing them with hands-on experience in disassembling and  Structure, and Articulation
analyzing everyday mechanical products.  Inclusion of Key points
Technical Content (15 points):
Event Overview: Approximately 30 sixth-semester mechanical  Demonstration of deep
engineering students participated in the hackathon, divided into understanding of the
six teams. The primary objective was to dissect and understand disassembled product
12 9 12 14 10
products like hair dryers, electric screwdrivers, and hair  Technical details and
trimmers. The process was designed to foster a deeper literature review
understanding of mechanical design principles and promote  Application if engineering
innovative thinking. The Hackathon was conducted for a principles and concepts
duration of 13 hours after the inaugural program. Students were Creativity and Innovation (15
allowed to use all the resources available on the internet during points):
the Hackathon.  Creative solutions proposed to
Implementation Stages: improve the disassembled
product 13 10 12 13 12
Stage 1: Preparation and Briefing  Demonstration of innovative
 Introduction: Students were briefed on the objectives, thinking
process, and evaluation criteria of the program. Pre-program  Originality and inventiveness
questionnaire responses (Table 8) were considered during in the proposed enhancements
the briefing. Practicality and Feasibility (15
points):
 Industry Insights: An alumnus from Philips India Pvt. Ltd.  Feasibility and practicality of
provided insights into the importance of reverse engineering the proposed enhancements
in the corporate sector. 9 11 9 12 11
 Consideration for real-world
Stage 2: Disassembly and Analysis implementation
 Addressing of potential
 Hands-On Disassembly: Students disassembled the
challenges
products meticulously documenting each subcomponent Market Relevance (10 points):
(Figure 3a). This stage provided valuable insights into the  Alignment of enhancements
materials and mechanisms involved. with market needs
 Considerations of consumer 6 8 8 6 6
preferences
 Clear value proposition for
potential users
Quality of 3D Models (15
points):
 Detailing and Quality of 3D
Models 12 12 10 14 13
a b  Effective communication of
proposed enhancements
Figure 3 a) Disassembled Hair Dryer b) Improvised 3D  visually appealing and craft
Model of Hair Dryer Q&A Session (15 points):
Stage 3: Brainstorming and Design Improvement  Response to questions from
the judges
 Collaborative Brainstorming: Teams identified strengths
 Confidence and validity of 11 9 11 13 12
and weaknesses of the products and proposed innovative
information
improvements.  Roles and responsibilities of
 3D Modeling: Using CAD software, students created members
enhanced 3D models incorporating their proposed TOTAL (100) 74 69 75 85 75
improvements (Figure 3b).
Stage 4: Presentation and Feedback
 Expert Evaluation: Teams presented their designs to
experts who assessed creativity, feasibility, and practical

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TABLE VIII programs in the

DESCRIPTIVE FEEDBACK QUESTIONNAIRE FOR INNOVATION THROUGH
future?
REVERSE ENGINEERING ACTIVITY
Stage 1: Pre-program Stage 2: Mid-Program
Questionnaire Questionnaire Feedback analysis: Feedback on the program was collected at
1. How familiar are you 1. Describe your experience four stages as shown in Table VIII. The consolidated responses
with the concept of with disassembling and are as below:
reverse engineering? analysing the assigned 1. Pre-Program: Most students had limited familiarity with
2. Have you participated mechanical products. reverse engineering and lacked hackathon experience but were
in any hackathons or What challenges did you motivated by an interest in mechanical design and innovation.
engineering design encounter? 2. Mid-Program: Students reported positive experiences,
competitions before? 2. How has the gained insights into complex mechanisms, and benefited from
3. What motivated you to collaborative group work
collaborative problem-solving.
join this program? enhanced your
(Interest in mechanical understanding of 3. Post-Program: Students highlighted the program’s positive
design, passion for mechanical design influence on their understanding of mechanical design,
innovation, desire to principles? appreciated expert feedback, and gained confidence in
learn new skills, etc.) 3. What were the key identifying and solving design flaws.
4. Do you have any prior strengths and weaknesses 4. Long-Term Impact: Students applied acquired skills in
experience with you identified during the subsequent projects and endorsed the program’s contribution to
disassembling and RE process? their personal and professional development.
analysing mechanical 4. How did your team TABLE IX
products? approach the task of RESPONSES FOR PROGRAM O UTCOMES (PO) BASED QUESTIONNAIRE FOR THE
5. What do you hope to proposing innovative HACKATHON
gain from this program solutions to the identified Feedback Questionnaire Response/Score
in terms of skills and weaknesses? Did the hackathon enhance your
knowledge? 5. How comfortable do you understanding of engineering
feel with using CAD 93.2
principles and their practical
software to create 3D applications? (PO1)
models? Did the hackathon help you improve
Stage 3: Post-Program Stage 4: Long-Term Impact your ability to analyse complex
Questionnaire Questionnaire (Sent after 1 problems and identify key issues 91.7
1. Reflect on your overall month of the program):
disassembly and brainstorming phases?
experience in the 1. Have you applied any of
program. How has it the skills or concepts
(PO2)
contributed to your learned from the program Did you effectively design and develop
understanding of in your courses or other solutions for this hackathon, and do you
mechanical design and projects? feel confident in your ability to 90.4
innovation? 2. Reflect on how the continue designing and developing
2. Describe the impact of program influenced your solutions for future challenges? (PO3)
receiving feedback perception of mechanical Did the hackathon encourage you to
from expert mentors engineering and its investigate and understand the inner
95.7
on your proposed potential for innovation. workings of engineering and everyday
modifications and 3D 3. Have you shared your products? (PO4)
models. experiences and insights Were you able to utilize modern
3. Did the program help gained from the program engineering tools effectively in crafting 94
you develop skills with your peers or your design solutions? (PO5)
such as critical mentors? Did the hackathon promote awareness
thinking, problem- 4. Do you believe the of the societal impact of engineering 90.7
solving, and program has contributed solutions? (PO6)
collaboration? Please to your personal and Did the hackathon enhance your ability
provide examples. professional growth?
to work and contribute effectively to a 96.2
4. How confident are you How would you describe
team? (PO8)
in identifying design the value of the
flaws and proposing "Innovation through
Did the hackathon improve your ability
solutions in real-world Reverse Engineering" to present technical information 95.1
products after program in your effectively? (PO9)
completing this academic and career Did the hackathon inspire you to
program? journey? continue exploring and learning about 96.5
5. Would you consider innovative engineering solutions?
participating in similar
hackathon-based Feedback on the impact of the hackathon on the program
outcomes was collected apart from the descriptive feedback

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collected as shown in Table IX. These responses were collected This study emphasizes the transformative potential of
using a 5-point scale and were subsequently converted into hackathon-based learning in core engineering branches like
percentage-based data for analysis The responses from the mechanical engineering. It provides a roadmap for integrating
students clearly indicate that program outcomes such as these methods into the curriculum while highlighting the
Problem analysis, Design and development of solutions, importance of stakeholder engagement and industry-academia
investigation of complex problems, and lifelong learning which collaboration. The findings set the stage for broader adoption,
can be challenging to fully achieve through traditional interdisciplinary exploration, and future research into
classroom instruction, were successfully attained through this hackathon-based learning as an effective pedagogical tool.
hands-on activity.
The detailed implementation strategies and outcomes of this REFERENCES
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